Dr. Armin Einhard Mruck

It is with deep sorrow that we share the passing of Armin. E. Mruck, PhD, age 100 years, on October 1, 2025 at Blakehurst, Towson, (formerly of Reisterstown) MD.

Dr. Mruck loved life and fought to continue building bridges between others until his very last days.

He was the beloved husband of the late Marlene Margaret Mruck; devoted father of Dieter Mruck (Sophia), Lauren Ensor (Lee), and Heidi Waltos (David); loving grandfather of Miles and Isiah Mruck, Christine Kyle (Andrew), Leanne Thomas (Corey), and Sam and Jaime Waltos; dearest great-grandfather of Reese, Grady, Jillian, Adeline, Everett, and Natalie; brother of the late Dieter Mruck.

How does one sum up 100 years of living in three minutes of words?

Armin was born June 6, 1925 in Osterode, Prussia to a middle-class family of educators, Otto and Kathe (nee Bogdanski) and welcomed by his older brother Dieter. He described his early childhood as good, living on the grounds of the school where his father was the principal. But by the age of 17 yrs, he was drafted into the Luftwaffe (the German Air Force). His brother and father were also drafted. The war devastated lives. His cherished brother died in a plane crash, he lost his home to occupation and he was shot on two occasions. Throughout, he was proud to say he never fired at anyone with his rifle or caused any harm. The most serious of his injuries led him to be hospitalized for over a month. He and the nurse who cared for him built a rapport that would end up reconnecting them after a lifetime of over 50 years. They wrote a book together, Deutsche Lebenswege zwischen Diktatur und Demokratie, 2007.

Armin eventually enrolled in Gottingen University where he received his doctorate in the first graduating class after the war. He majored in history, though he always loved philosophy, literature, and language. To his astonishment he received a scholarship by the U.S. Congress to study in an American university. He selected Kentucky University and felt incredibly welcomed by American citizens. In 1952, he met Marlene Stocker in Miami Beach and they had a whirlwind romance. Armin was embraced by her family (parents Herman and Gretchen, German immigrants), their son Ralph (who served in the U.S. Coast Guard) and his wife Lucille. Armin and Marlene were married for 66 years until her passing in 2019.

Dr. Mruck began his teaching career at NYU in 1951, living in the attic room of Marlene's parent's home. Their son, Dieter was born in 1953. Four years later Armin was approached by Morgan State College and the family moved to Baltimore. They had two more children, Lauren (1956) and Heidi (1957). Their house was always full of guests from Europe and colleagues from Morgan.

In 1967 he was offered a full professorship at Towson University and moved to Reisterstown, where they happily connected with adored neighbors for over 55 years. At Towson, Dr. Mruck's passion and dedication to teaching really flourished. He was supported in his endeavors to create partnerships between European universities and to introduce students to foreign cultures. He developed and began teaching mini semesters abroad, taking groups of up to 20 students at a time, sometimes accompanied by Marlene who would teach the art history components. Lifelong connections were born. Armin and Marlene loved hosting foreign students and colleagues, including the teaching staff from the formal partnership he developed between Oldenburg University and Towson University.

Dr. Mruck championed 'Bridge Building' between cultures, believing that we are all more similar than dissimilar and believing that connections are the path to keeping peace. Many of his lectures highlighted the resistance movements within history. Armin and Marlene traveled to Berlin as Reagan announced, "Tear down this wall."

With a former students' generous endowment, he developed the Armin and Marlene Mruck Scholarship Fund to continue providing students the opportunity to travel abroad and foster international connections.

Armin last lectured in Oldenburg, Germany at 86 years old, still happily riding his bike through town. Even in his final years, he continued to do 'his work', establishing an annual scholarship given to students at his original high school in Osterode, for their efforts in peace building.

Dr. Mruck was fortunate to have his contributions honored, some of which were; the German-American Friendship Award from the German Embassy (1990), the Distinguished Service Cross President (1997), an Honorary member recipient of the Germany Bundesverdienstkreuz (1999), an Honorary citizen of Oldenburg, Distinguished Professor emeritus, Towson University (2013) and a recipient of the Carl von Ossietzky Universitaet Medal, Oldenburg, Germany. He served as the second Vice President of the German Society in Maryland.

His later years were filled with joy from his family and his continued love of; those who cared for him, music, trips to the beach, spending time outside (especially on warm, sunny days), playing his harmonica, learning, conversation, reading, writing articles and attending any musical performances and swimming whenever he could.

His grit and determination to fully engage in life was remarkable. All people die but not all people live, and he surely lived. "Doc" will be missed.

The family will receive visitors on Tuesday, October 7, from 3-5 and 7-9 pm at the ECKHARDT FUNERAL CHAPEL, P.A., 11605 Reisterstown Road, Owings Mills, MD 21117.

A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, October 8, at 10 am, at Zion Church of the City of Baltimore, 400 E Lexington St, Baltimore, MD 21202. A graveside service will follow at 2 pm at Evergreen Memorial Gardens, Finksburg, MD.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made payable to the Towson University Foundation in support of the Dr. Armin and Marlene Mruck Endowed Scholarship, P.O. Box 17165, Baltimore, MD  21297-0219 or online at www.towson.edu/giving . If giving on-line, please note the fund name in the "Other" box.